Blade of the Moon
by Okori Yo
Summary: The Doctor, Rose and Jack land in Japan during the 1300's, planning on taking a short break. But when a local monk asks the Doctor for help, the group gets thrown into a world full of mysteries. Read and review, please!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Doctor Who or any of the legendary Japanese creatures featured in this story.

- - -

Kyoto National Museum, Japan, 2006

"Tsuno-sensei, tell us again about the legend of the Blade of the Moon! We want to hear it!"

"Please, sensei?"

"C'mon, tell us!"

The group of children pleaded, dark eyes gazing up at the old man. The white-haired caretaker sighed, then smiled at the youngsters gathered around him. Tsuno had told them the tale many times, but they never seemed to tire from hearing it.

Coughing into a handkerchief, the old man nodded, seeing their eyes light up with excitement. "Very well, I'll tell it."

"Thank you, Tsuno-sensei!" The children chanted, bowing low to show their appreciation.

Chuckling, the elder turned and slowly made his way down the hallway, the children trailing along behind. The museum had just opened for the day, and only a few people were around studying the exhibits. This wing of the building was home to artefacts from the Muromachi Period, before the Warring States Period that ravaged Japan. It was also the place to hear the legends of that time.

Shuffling along the brightly lit corridor, Tsuno listened to the chatter of the children behind him. They were talking about school; and the old man reflected on his own school days, many years ago. He had grown up during the Second World War, being only seven when the conflict began. Life had been very different then; the children behind him had no idea how lucky they were.

Turning down a smaller, dimmer hallway, the children's voice died away as they approached their destination. At the end of the corridor was a small room, and this was were Tsuno stopped. His fingers flicked the light switch on the wall next to him, illuminating the small space. Stepping inside, his gaze roamed the walls picking out the faded images on the rice-paper panels. But the real attraction was in the centre of the cramped room.

Lying on a stone pedestal, surrounded by three inches of bullet-proof glass, was an old sword. The white blade was cracked in several places, and the bone handle was yellow with age. The sword was similar to one an ancient samurai might have used, since it was made in the same style.

The children swarmed around Tsuno, eager to once again see this mystical weapon. Smiling at their enthusiasm, the old caretaker settled himself on a short stool tucked into a corner of the room. He then reviewed the panels on the three walls. The image on the back wall depicted a man with a shaven head in a black kimono facing a eight-headed snake, a white sword in his hands. The panel on the right showed a female with blonde hair dressed in a white funerary kimono deep in a forest, a wooden pipe on the ground in front of her. The final image on the left was of a man in a green-and-white yukata, surrounded by an army of samurai. A grey fox wearing a gold collar sat by his feet. There had once been a set of sixteen panels, but all except those three had mysteriously vanished in the late 1600's.

The children had finished examining the sword and had once more gathered around the old man, sitting at his feet. Folding his hands on his lap, Tsuno took a deep breath and started to speak.

- - -

Notes

The Kyoto National Museum is an actual place, located in the Higashiyama Ward in Kyoto.

'sensei' is a Japanese title used to refer to or address teachers, professionals such as doctors and lawyers, politicians, clergymen, and other authority figures.

The Muromachi Period was from 1336-1573, while the Warring States Period was from the middle of the 15th century to the early 17th century.

If you have any more questions, please put them in your review.


	2. Chapter 2

Inside the TARDIS, Time Vortex

The Doctor grinned as he pulled a lever, hearing the time machine respond to the change in coordinates. This trip was going to be quiet; he was taking Rose and Jack to see the Imperial Chinese Court during the mid-eighteen hundreds. No aliens, no wars, just a peaceful sightseeing trip. At least, that was what the Doctor was hoping would happen. The last few times he had tried this sort of thing, the plan had backfired, and the group had ended up in several messy situations. But the Time Lord was confident that this time would be different.

Rose was in her room reading, and Jack was exploring the inner rooms of the TARDIS. Neither person was expecting a sudden landing, so the Doctor decided to surprise them with one. Chuckling, the man raced around the central control panel, pushing buttons and switches. The machine beeped, flashed, and whirred, it's owner grabbing onto a railing in preparation for a bumpy landing. As was normal until the machine gave a hard jolt to the right and suddenly stopped. The sudden impact had startled both of the other occupants, because the Doctor heard muffled yells as the TARDIS wheezed to a stop.

The Time Lord stuffed his hands in the pockets of his worn leather jacket, and gave a sly grin as Rose, followed closely by Jack, burst through the inner door. Finding nothing amiss, Jack stopped and returned the smile, catching on that the Doctor had meant no harm. Rose, on the other hand, was not so amused.

Striding up to him, his female companion gave him an angry glare and spoke. "What was that for? Couldn't you have warned us that you were landing? I thought something had happened!"

"Something did. We arrived." the man replied, his grin growing wider. He didn't usually play tricks on Rose, but her reaction could be quite funny at times.

"Well, at least one of us thinks that was funny." she muttered, still upset by the fact that she had fallen so easily for the trick. "Where are we?"

"18th century China. I thought it might be nice to take a short break."

"Only you could think that a trip to China counts as a break." Rose replied, rolling her eyes.

"Yep, only me." the Doctor responded, turning around to see what Jack was up to.

The younger man was gazing intently at the console screen, a frown on his face. Glancing up at the Time Lord, his brown eyes narrowed as he said, "Um, Doctor, I don't think the Chinese have topknots and wear kimonos…"

Trailing off, Jack moved aside to let the Doctor take a look. Mirroring Jack's expression, the man stared at the screen and sighed. Peering over his arm, Rose asked, "So if we're not in China, then where are we?"

"We are in Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun. Checking his instruments, he added, "and about five centuries ahead of where I wanted to land."

"That's what you get for landing so fast." Rose shot back, looking curiously at the group of men on the screen.

The small group was composed of fifteen men, all wearing black chest armour over dark grey kimonos. Each man carried two swords on his left hip, the scabbards matching the armour. As Jack had noted, every man had a shaved plate and the remaining hair was tied into a small ponytail on top of his head.

"Those are samurai, Rose. Trained killers. Make sure to be very respectful if they happen to talk to you. Those guys don't need to justify killing you; any reason will do." Jack warned, following Rose's gaze. "Your best bet is to stay out of their way and be quiet."

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind." Rose replied, looking slightly uneasy at the prospect of meeting them.

The Doctor nodded and turned towards the inner door. "We better go change then."

"Wait a sec…you're actually going to change clothes?" Rose asked, amazement in her voice. She had every right to sound surprised. The Time Lord usually never changed out of his main outfit, but he had a feeling that his current attire wouldn't sit well with the locals. Not that that Doctor was going to tell them that.

Shrugging, he replied calmly, "I just feel like a change, that's all. Don't worry, I'll change back when we leave."

"Alright…" Rose muttered, following he two friends to the wardrobe room.

- - -

As the trio made their way through the maze of hallways, doors, and rooms, Rose wondered why the Doctor was going through all this trouble. After pondering the thought for a minute, she could not really find a good explanation for it. She pushed the thought from her mind as the group reached their destination. The Doctor walked over to a large chest and opened it, sending up a cloud of dust.

Coughing, Rose waved away the dust and moved to peer over his shoulder. The old trunk was full of different types of clothing, most of which Rose had never seen before. Digging through it, the Doctor pulled out a pile of clothes and handed them to Rose.

"Go change into these. Call me over if you have any trouble."

Nodding, the teen strode over to one of the many changing rooms, leaving Jack behind to get whatever he was wearing. Entering the stall, Rose quickly changed out of her modern-day clothes, slipping on the smallest of the robes she had been given. It was a pale grey colour, with wide sleeves. The garment dropped down to her knees, and was held shut by a thin white sash tied around the waist. Over that, she put on a white kimono, looping it around her waist to keep the kimono closed. The sleeves were slightly longer than the inner robe, and this one went down to her ankles. On her feet, Rose put on a pair of sock-like items, the only difference being that the big toe was separated from the rest by a small gap.

She admired her new look in the mirror, adjusting several folds and tying her long hair back with a piece of white string. Hearing a light knock at the door, Rose called out, "Come in!", and turned to see Jack smiling at her.

Slipping inside, he shut the door behind him and paused to take a good look at his friend. Rose took the opportunity to examine him as well. Captain Jack was dressed in a kimono as well, but his sleeves weren't as wide and only went down to the elbow. Unlike hers, Jack's was decorated. The sleeves each had two vertical green stripes on a white background, with a matching horizontal on across the chest. Running her gaze further down his outfit, she stopped and stared. After a few moments of silence, she giggled.

"Jack, you're…ah…wearing a skirt." Glancing down at the forest green skirt, the man chuckled and explained. "It's called a hakama, but yeah, it's a skirt." Gesturing to the striped robe, he continued. "This is a yukata. Basically the same thing as a kimono, but with some slight changes. Men also wore them in this time period."

"Oh ok. Do you know what the Doctor's wearing?"

"Nope, he wouldn't tell me, but he did ask that I give you this." Jack answered, holding up a broad white belt. "It's called an obi, and you need to wear it. Here, let me put it on."

Nodding, Rose turned around and let Jack wrap the obi around her waist, positioning it over the belt that held her kimono shut. Giving it a final tug, he placed his hands on her shoulders and stared at their reflection in the mirror. Noticing his serious expression, Rose gave him a curious look and waited for him to speak.

"This is a dangerous place, Rose. I know the Doctor thinks that you'll be fine and stay out of trouble, but frankly, I don't share his optimism. When you travel with him, trouble finds you, not the other way around. That's why I'm gonna give you this." Pausing, he reached into a hidden pocket and produced a short object. Giving the top a gentle pull, Jack showed her that it was actually a small knife. Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, the teen felt a small tug at the back of her obi as the man slipped the weapon between the sash and her kimono.

Wrapping his arms loosely around her waist, Jack gave her a quick hug, murmuring, "Use it only if you are in grave danger. And don't tell the Doctor." Nodding to show that she understood, Rose smiled softly at him.

"I'm sure the Doctor's wondering if I managed to strangle myself in all this fabric. C'mon, let's go find him.

Chuckling, Jack nodded and released her, following Rose out the door.

- - -

Notes

The small robe that Rose puts on first is actually a nagajuban. This is another kimono, usually shorter than the outer one, worn as underwear, complete with the long kimono sleeves, which are neatly fitted inside the outer kimono's sleeves.

The 'socks' Rose puts wears are called tabi. Ankle high and with a separation between the big toe and other toes, they are worn by both men and women with zori, geta, and other traditional thonged footwear.

A hakama covers the lower body and resembles a wide, pleated skirt.

A yukata is a Japanese summer garment that is a casual form of a kimono.

Obi are the top-most sash worn with various styles of Japanese clothing. Fans and small other objects can also been put here, and the fabric hides them from sight.


	3. Chapter 3

Outskirts of Kyoto, 1336

Dust rose from the rutted path as the group of samurai marched past, their sandaled feet taking on a light brown hue. The warriors were heading out to a small village a few miles outside of Kyoto to protect a local dignitary from an alleged band group of assassins. Normally, such work was below them, but their Shogun had given very explicit orders. The captain, Zunami Kyo, was scanning the surrounding bushes, alert for any bandits foolish enough to try and attack.

Finding nothing except a few songbirds, Kyo turned away, intending to tell his men to pick up the pace. Suddenly a strange sound filled the air, and a blue light started flashing from underneath a dead cherry tree. All of the samurai stopped and stared in wonder at the spectacle in front of them; but every man was ready to attack if a threat appeared.

Kyo's eyes widened as an outline of a small building appeared, fading in and out of focus. The outline grew more solid, and after a few more seconds it stopped flashing. The air was suddenly silent; even the birds were too surprised by this sudden occurrence to sing. Right hand grasping the handle of his sword, the man eyed the blue building warily.

It reminded him of a small shrine that often appeared along the roadsides, but this one had strange symbols along the top and on the double doors. On the roof of this mysterious shrine was around object. Kyo recalled that the sudden light had come from that; but whatever fire had caused the light was gone. What being was this shrine dedicated to? Was this a sign from the gods, or was a severe punishment about to be delivered by the keeper of the holy place?

Questions filled the samurai's mind as he gazed at the supernatural shrine. For he knew that no human could have managed such an incredible feat; appearing out of thin air like that. It must be a god! Confident that whatever or whoever inside meant no harm for the moment, Kyo relaxed and motioned for his men to stand down. They reluctantly obeyed, still uneasy about the strange building. Turning to the group, Kyo ordered that two of them go stand guard over the shrine while the rest had a late lunch. Nodding, two brave souls remained behind as Zunami lead the others to embankment a short distance away.

For a while, all was quiet as the samurai ate their rations; Kyo still on the lookout for anything suspicious. A sudden cry from one of the guards brought the samurai to his feet, his eyes taking in the scene below him. The double doors had parted slightly, and a man stood in the entrance, watching calmly as the surprised guards took several steps backwards, hands gripping their sword handles. Running down the small hill, Zunami ordered sharply, "Fuko-dono, Tayka-dono, don't attack!"

The two samurai relaxed slightly, but help their drawing stance. Although the man was unarmed, something might still happen. Reaching the spot where the shrine stood, Kyo edged past the guards, stopping about two feet away from the shrine-keeper. This was partly because he didn't want to appear threatening, but the main reason was of what the other person wore.

The god/shrine-keeper wore a flowing coal-black silk kimono, the bottom of which was split from the thigh down to allow him to wear a pair of black puffy pants. Over his kimono, the man had on a black haori, decorated with tiny pink rosebuds and dropping down to his hips. The haori-himo that held the haori shut was a pure white colour, contrasting sharply with the dark outfit. On his feet were a pair of black leather boots which reached up to his shins. Stitched onto both sleeves of his kimono was a mon, or family crest. But this was like no mon Kyo had ever seen before. A thick red circular boarder contained two interlocking circles, one gold, the other silver, with a vertical light blue slash cutting through the middle of the joined circles, all on a black background.

But the thing that made Kyo certain that he was dealing with a supernatural being was the man himself. Japanese people were usually tanned, but this person was pale-skinned. His hair was similar to a samurai's haircut, but he had no topknot. The eyes were the main thing that was different. Almost everyone in Japan had brown eyes, and a few had grey eyes, but no on that Kyo had heard about had blue eyes. His eyes were the colour of storm clouds, seconds before they unleashed their fury upon the land.

Taking a step forward, the god let the doors swing shut behind him, light eyes staring into Kyo's dark ones, almost daring him to attack. The rest of Zunami's men had gathered behind their captain, waiting for further orders. Kyo decided to show the strange deity the respect he deserved, and slowly knelt down, placed his hands on the ground, and leaned forwards, forehead resting lightly on his knuckles. The rest of the samurai followed suit, showing their respect by copying their captain's very formal bow.

"Rise, samurai." the god commanded, his voice ringing with authority. Mouth dry, Kyo sat up, but did not rise from his knees. Staring firmly at the god's booted feet, the samurai spoke, his voice filled with respect.

"Oh, Kami-sama, how may this humble mortal serve you?"

A moment of silence followed the question, and the samurai feared that he had offended the god. Closing his eyes, Kyo waited for the final blow to fall, but opened them again when an answer came.

"Where in Japan are we?" the god asked, and Kyo noticed the strange accent he had. Did all gods have this accent, or was this one special in some regard? Licking his lips, the samurai replied, "We are in the outskirts of Kyoto, Kami-sama."

"Who is the current Shogun?"

"Prince Morikuni, Kami-sama."

"What is your name samurai?"

"I am Zunami Kyo, Kami-sama." the warrior replied, bowing once more. He hadn't expected this god to be interested in him; but had answered anyways, fearing retribution if he didn't.

"Alright then, Zunami-dono, tell your men to leave us in peace."

"Yes, Kami-sama." Turning slightly, he quietly ordered his men to continue towards their destination, and to follow Tayka-dono's orders if any trouble arose.

The samurai made a final bow towards the god and quickly departed, leaving Kyo alone with the deity. Silence fell as the god waited until the warriors were out of sight before speaking again. "Zunami-dono, I am a Shinigami."

This simple statement was met with a gasp and a sudden bow from Kyo. Shinigami were powerful spirits, minions of the afterlife who were sent among the living to gather the lost souls of the departed. Some legends told of a small group of Shinigami who were able to cause death instead of just observing it. Kyo had no doubt that this Shinigami was part of that elite group.

Voice trembling slightly with awe, Zunami asked, "Shinigami-sama, how may I assist you?" Hearing a sharp sigh, Kyo froze wondering if he had asked the wrong thing. He was a samurai, not a priest! He had no knowledge of how to deal with the gods!

Pebbles crunched as the Shinigami moved closer to the samurai, stopping less than a foot from his head.

"Stand up. Now." Hearing the firm order, the man shakily rose to his feet, gaze still fixed on the ground.

"Look at me." Kyo hesitated, knowing that he was far below the status needed to look a god in the eye. He helplessly shook his head, praying to Buddha that his death would be quick and honourable.

"_Look at me_." the Shinigami repeated, his voice cold. Realizing that he had no other choice than to obey, the samurai slowly raised his eyes upwards, finally meeting the god's frosty gaze.

The two men stood there for a few moments, staring at each out. A cool breeze whipped past, rustling the tree branches and making their kimonos flare to one side. Then the Shinigami gave a slight nod, indicating that he considered Kyo to be his equal. The samurai bowed his head and stepped back just as the shine's doors opened once more.

This time, two people emerged from the building, another man and a woman. The male was dressed in a green-and-white yukata with a green hakama and a striped obi. The young woman was dressed in a funerary kimono, and had light yellow hair, similar to the colour of autumn leaves. Both were as pale as the Shinigami, and the girl had bluer eyes than the god. Where they all Shinigami?

As if he could read Kyo's mind, the god in the black kimono spoke. "This one is a Shikigami," the male stated gesturing to the one in the yukata, "and the other one is a Hisa-me." A Shikigami was a spirit that often accompanied other gods or spiritual beings, but this was the fist time Zunami had heard of one in a human transformation state. It must be very powerful to take over a human body or to hold that form for such a long period of time. A Hisa-me was a female demon of death that inhabited the underworld. All told, this Shinigami must be very powerful to control such spirits. Plus, he was well protected from any kind of attack.

Kyo bowed to each spirit in turn, making a silent vow to got to the local temple and give an offering as soon as he was able to.

"Now then, may we accompany you to where your were heading before we arrived?" the Shinigami asked, motioning in the direction that Kyo's men had headed in.

"I was heading to a small village near here to watch over a local official, so I am unable to escort you to Kyoto. If you wish to wait until the matter is settled there, I will be honoured to take you to Kyoto."

"Fantastic. Let's go!" Grinning at the samurai, the Shinigami set out, leaving Kyo with his spirits. After a moment of hesitation, the man headed after the god, the spirits falling into step beside him.

Notes

The Japanese write and say their name the opposite way people in the West do. They say their last (or family) name first, followed by their name. Zunami Kyo is the traditional way to say his name in Japan. I will be using this form throughout the fanfic.

During the history of Japan, small stone shrine were erected by the roadside to serve as a resting point or to pay homage to a particular spirit.

The honorific "dono" at the ends of two of the samurai's names was a common practice in those times. It is a term of great respect and reverence, and most commonly used to address samurai.

The black pants that the Doctor is wearing were used by all classes, from peasants to the Emperor. The material the pants were made of usually indicated that person's rank in society.

A haori is a hip- or thigh-length kimono coat which adds formality.

A haori-himo is a tasselled, woven string fastener for the haori. The most formal colour is white.

A mon (or kamon) is a family heraldic symbol, consisting of a roundel encircling a design. Since the Time Lords have no mon, I decided to create one (The red boarder encircling the two rings). The light blue slash was added by the Doctor just to personalize the crest.

The bow that Kyo and his mean perform is a saikeirei bow, and is a sign of great respect or reverence to the person/group it is directed at.

'Kami" usually refers to any object of worship in the Shinto faith, but can also be translated as "god" or deity".

"Sama" is another honorific used primarily in addressing persons much higher in rank than oneself, or to address or speak of persons or objects for which the speaker wishes to show respect or deference. ('Kami-sama' is also used by Japanese Christians to refer to God, but here, the similarity was by accident)

Prince Morikuni was the 9th and last shogun of the Kamakura shogunate. He was Shogun from June 19, 1308- September 25, 1336.

A Shinigami is a term originally used for translating personifications of death, or be used more loosely to refer to any god associated with death.

A Shikigami are spirits summoned to serve or protect an Onmyoji (a practitioner of Onomyodo, a mixture of natural science and occultism), much like the western concept of a wizard's familiar. Shikigami can take the forms of birds or other small animals, and the more powerful of the Shikigami can even take possession of a person. The range of abilities possessed by a Shikigami is dependent on the Onmyoji's capabilities.

A Hisa-me was originally a female demon of death in the Japanese underworld.


	4. Chapter 4

Village of Kizu

Hyakushu Ririshii paused in his work to watch a small group of people pass by. One of them was a samurai, and the farmer supposed that he was the captain of the other samurai who had arrived earlier. Not that it was any of his business. He had a productive farm and a loving wife, so there was no need for him to get involved with a samurai. Besides, they were here to protect Katai Joufu, the representative for Kizu and the surrounding area.

Noting that the sun was starting to sink below the western horizon, Ririshii sighed and turned towards home. Hazumi, his wife, would be have supper waiting for him, and she had promised that morning to tell her husband the news from the village. Trudging down the shadowed path that led homewards, the farmer stopped as he caught sight of a young boy on the road before him. The child had his back to Ririshii, but the man guessed his age to be around nine or ten. He wore a ragged brown kimono, and his head was shaved like a monk's. The farmer smiled, thinking that the boy was probably a pupil of the local temple.

Talking a step towards the child, Ririshii called out softly, "Hey lad, it's getting late. You might want to run along home before the bandits come out." For a moment, there was silence, then the child let out a high-pitched giggle and slowly turned around to face Ririshii. Dark brown eyes widening in horror, the farmer stumbled backwards, gaping at the youth. What the man had thought was a little boy was in fact a Hitosume-kozo, one of the many types of obake that appeared in Japanese mythology.

The Hitosume-kozu looked like a child, but instead of two eyes, one giant eye peered from the centre of its forehead. Mischievous by nature, they often played pranks on mortals, and were considered a bad omen. As he stared at the spirit, the man thought this one looked quite serious, and it made no move towards Ririshii.

The obake stared at the human, it's one eye half closed in thought. Still in shock, the farmer watched as the child nodded once, then spoke.

"When the moon vanishes from the sky, sixteen eyes will watch the world burn." the Hitosume-kozo chanted, it's voice squeaky. Titling it's bald head to one side, the spirit continued, "Only the bringer of death can save this realm."

Giving the farmer a piercing stare, the Hitosume-kozo giggled again and vanished in a flash of red light. Badly shaken by the encounter, the man hurried on his way, determined to tell his wife of the omen and wondering what the one-eyes spirit had been talking about.

- - -

Jack sighed with contentment as he gazed out at the small village of Kizu. He was still dressed in his yukata, but the hakama was back in his room. Beside him on the deck sat a clay jug full of delicious sake, along with a cup and a thick blanket in case he got cold.

Stretching, the man poured himself a small drink and downed it in one swallow, feeling the liquid warm him. The Doctor was off talking with the owner of the local temple, probably performing his duty as a Shinigami. Rose was in bed, tired out after the eventful day. Jack figured he should probably turn in himself, but for now, he was going to enjoy the view, the half moon overhead, and the sake. Life was good.

Taking another small sip of the wine, Jack pondered the question of why the Doctor had given them such detailed aliases. Sure, it pretty much guaranteed that they wouldn't be getting attacked, but it would have been much simpler to say that they were travellers from the mainland. What was the Doctor thinking?

Hearing the door slide open behind him, Jack turned and saw Rose leaning against the frame. She was dressed in a loose sleeping robe that the staff of the inn had kindly provided. Motioning for her to sit beside him, the man put the cork in the jug and set it and the cup aside, picking up the blanket instead.

Although he wasn't bothered by the later summer chill, Jack suspected that Rose might find it a bit cold. He waited until she had sat down, the draped the blanket over both of their shoulders; it being long enough to almost completely wrap around them.

Snuggling up next to him, Rose leaned her head on his shoulder and yawned. Smiling, Jack asked casually, "So, aren't you supposed to be asleep?"

"I was." Rose replied, tugging the blanket tighter. "What's in the bottle?"

"Sake. And you are _not_ having any."

"Why not? I'm old enough to drink." she protested, sitting up and glaring at Jack.

"Too bad. This tuff is way to strong for you."

"Humph, you probably just want it all for yourself." the teen muttered, frowning.

"No, I'm more concerned of what you might say if you got drunk. This isn't the kind of place you want to let something slip."

Rose blinked at this, thinking. After a minute, she sighed and resumed leaning against him. "I suppose you're right…"

"Of course I am. I'm always right." Both chuckled at this, and Jack slipped an arm around her shoulders, tugging the teen closer.

"You only half-answered my question. Why are you awake?"

"Not much gets past you, does it?" Rose grumbled.  
"Nope, especially when it concerns a pretty girl."

"Oh? So you think I'm pretty?"

"Nah, more along the lines of beautiful, but you're avoiding my question again."

There was a moment of silence, and Rose shifted uneasily beside him. Letting out a long sigh, the blonde muttered, Something woke me up."

"I didn't hear anything."

"No, it wasn't a noise, it was more like…a feeling. A feeling that something bad is going to happen."

"Hm…." Jack frowned, mulling over what his friend had just said. He had in a good mood all evening, partly due to the sake he had consumed, but he had felt a chill run down his spine just after sunset.

"The Doctor might be able to make more sense of it than I can, but I felt something similar too, earlier this evening."

"So it's not just me."

"Definitely not."

"Alright, I'll talk to him in the morning." Rose replied sleepily. Smiling, Jack listened as her breathing slowed, changing into the rhythmic breaths of a dreamer.

He stared at the moon and the peaceful landscape for a while longer, then got up and carried Rose back to her room, making sure that she was sleeping quietly before departing to his own quarters for the night. 

- - -

Notes

Kizu is an actual place

'Hyakushu Ririshii' means 'brave farmer'

'Katai Joufu' means 'honourable blade'

'Hazumi' means 'spring'

Buddhist monks often had shaved heads, as did their young students

Hitosume-kozo are monsters in Japanese mythology. They are roughly the size of ten-year-old children, but otherwise resemble bald Buddhist priests. Their most distinctive feature, however, is a single, giant eye peering from the center of the face. Hitotsume-kozo are relatively benign creatures, content to run about frightening human beings or telling loud people to be quiet (they enjoy silence). However, many people consider an encounter with a one-eyed goblin to be a bad omen.

Obake are the traditional ghosts, goblins and monsters from Japanese folklore; ranging from animals that are thought to have shape shifting powers, to mythological creatures, to inanimate objects that have come to life.

Sake is a Japanese word meaning "alcoholic beverage", and is usually made from fermented rice that makes the wine.

In Japan, when people refer to the 'mainland', they are talking about China and other foreign countries.

The sleeping robe that Rose wears closely resembles a nightgown that people in the West wear when they go to bed.


	5. Chapter 5

Kizu Temple

"Zunami-dono tells me that you are a Shinigami." the priest said solemnly, giving the Doctor a deep bow. "Our village has had trouble with some obake recently, in particular with a Hitosume-kozo. On behalf of the villagers, I wish to know if you might be able to help."

Giving another bow, the bald man fell silent, letting the Doctor consider the request. The Time Lord turned away from the priest, gazing up at a scroll that hung on the wall. Since he wasn't really a Shinigami, he couldn't banish the obake with spiritual powers, but the Doctor supposed he could at least talk to the spirits. Nodding slightly, he faced the man again and smile slightly.

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't make any promises. Obake have a habit of not listening to Shinigami." The Doctor replied firmly. The priest's eyes widened, and he bowed in thanks.

"The villagers will be happy just to hear that you tried, Shinigami-sama. Although Kizu is small, we will reward you in some way."

"Fantastic. Send someone to the inn at dawn. I'll be waiting."

"Of course, Shinigami-sama." Smiling, the Doctor nodded goodbye and left the temple.

It was quite late out, but the man didn't feel tired at all. Time Lords needed little sleep, and stay awake for days if they had to. The Doctor figured he would only need about an hour of rest; just so he could focus on the task in front of him. But first, he had to do some research on obake.

Walking slowly down the temple steps, the man paused as a cloud passed over the moon, casting everything into deep shadow. The night creatures that had been active only moments before quickly fell silent, and a sudden cool breeze made the Doctor's kimono flap. Despite the many layers of silk and fabric he wore, the chill seemed to penetrate his bones, causing him to shiver. Sensing that something was watching him, the Time Lord glanced around, but could see nothing. The cloud moved on, revealing the moon and flooding the landscape with light.

Shrugging, the Doctor continued on, not noticing the small form crouched in the bushes. The figure watched the black-robed man until he was out of sight, then slipped away into the forest.

Ririshii's Farm

The farmer knelt on the ground, forehead touching his hands. His heart beat wildly as the Shinigami approached, flanked by his two familiars and a monk from the village temple. After encountering the Hitosume-kozo, he had arrived home to very excited Hazumi. While eating their supper, she had told Ririshii about the samurai arriving in Kizu. She described how strong they had looked, and that the warriors had proudly worn the colours of the Emperor, even in these troubled times.

Nodding, the farmer had then told his wife about the spirit, and the message it had passed on. Hazumi had listened patiently, then took some time to think about what the Hitosume-kozo had meant. Both had agreed that something was going to happen, but neither could come up with anything else. Hazumi had also said that some of the other woman had told her of other obake appearing near the village, but none of the spirits had said anything.

A messenger had arrived before dawn to tell Ririshii that a Shinigami was coming out to talk to him. Hazumi had told him to answer truthfully, and to pass on the message of the Hitosume-kozo. Meanwhile, she would wait in the house unless called upon. Swallowing hard, the man bent lower as the group stopped, while the Shinigami took another step forward. Staring at the dirt, the farmer listened to the chirps of the birds, waiting for the Shinigami to speak.

Surprisingly, the Shinigami walked several more steps forwards and crouched down beside Ririshii. Then a hand was placed gently on his shoulder.

"What is your name?" the question was spoken softly, and the man detected a note of kindness in his voice.

"Hyakushu Ririshii, Shinigami-sama." the farmer replied after a moment of silence, his voice sounding calmer than he felt.

"Please, Ririshii-kun, stand up and look at me." The hand was removed as the Shinigami stood up and took a step backwards, giving Ririshii some room.

Gathering his courage, Ririshii also got to his feet, brushing the dirt off of his kimono. He then glanced at the Shinigami's familiars, eyes wide. The farmer had no idea what kind of spirits they were, but they didn't look that powerful. Taking a deep breath, Ririshii finally looked into the blue eyes of the Shinigami.

The Shinigami remained silent for a moment, letting the mortal examine him; then he nodded approvingly.

"Good man. Now, the monk said you have some information to pass along? Let's tale a walk and you can tell me what you know." Ririshii nodded quickly, noting the strange accent the Shinigami had. The spirit smiled and turned to face his familiars and the monk.

"Ok, that's all I need you for. You can leave now." The monk bowed and hurried off, robes fluttering. The other two waited patiently as their master paused and thought for a moment, the continued.

"Jack, you can go look around for a bit. Try and find out if any other obake have appeared and get a description." The male familiar in the yukata nodded enthusiastically. "Gotcha. I'll meet you back at the inn."

"Fantastic." The Shinigami paused again, and Ririshii wondered what he was going to do next. The female familiar didn't seem all that special, aside from the hair and the funerary kimono. Besides, a woman's place was at home, not wandering the countryside.

"Ririshii-kun, do you have a wife?" The question jerked the farmer out of his thoughts. Bowing, the man stammered:"Y-yes, Shinigami-sama, I d-do. Hazumi is in the house."

"Hm, alright. Rose, I want you to go talk to her. Find out everything she knows, even if it's small. I'll come back and get you." The girl stared at the Shinigami for a second, obviously surprised at the commanding tone he had used. She then nodded reluctantly, and spoke. "Ok…er, have a good walk."

Turning in the direction of the wooden house, the familiar walked towards it, leaving Ririshii alone with the Shinigami. Facing him, the spirit nodded and motioned for them to start walking. Hoping Hazumi would handle herself properly with the familiar, the farmer fell into step beside the Shinigami, the pair heading towards the spot where he had seen the Hitosume-kozo.

Path outside of Kizu

Jack walked slowly along the dirt path, enjoying the early morning sun. He hadn't been able to take off and explore since they had arrived in Japan, and now seemed the perfect time to do so. Rounding a turn, the man noticed a small child in the distance. Curious, Jack moved closer, stopping about five feet away from the youth.

The child was sitting on a large rock beside the path, tossing a wooden ball up and down. On closer inspection, Jack realized that the child was female. The girl was dressed in a plain grey kimono, and her long black hair had been left loose. The child tossed the ball in the air a final time, then looked over at Jack. He gasped slightly in wonder, surprised at the girl's golden eyes. Unusual coloured eyes were common in his time due to genetic manipulation, but these people had no such technology at their disposal. Jack then suspected that the child in front of him was in fact a demon in human form. If so, he better be careful not to get it mad. He was unarmed, and demons were well-known to have special powers.

Deciding to play dumb, Jack blinked and smiled cheerfully at the girl. "Good morning! I guess I'm not the only one out enjoying the nice day, huh?"

The child/demon chuckled and smiled back, eyes fixed on the man. "Hello. Indeed, it is a lovely morning. Are you going somewhere?" she asked, a questioning look on her young features.

Taking a few steps closer, he shook his head, still examining the girl. She appeared to be about six years old, and was quite cute now that he thought about it. Still smiling, Jack decided to see if the demon would help him out. "Say…have you heard anything about the obake that have been seen around here?" he asked casually, gazing around at the scenery.

The child was silent for a moment, thinking about his question. Lowering her gaze to the ball in her lap, she rolled it around for a bit before replying. "Well, yes I have…but I'm afraid the obake might come after me if they hear me. They had really good hearing, you know. Come closer, and I'll whisper what I know in your ear."

"Sure." Jack agreed, walking up the girl and crouching down to her level. The disguised demon smiled softly at him and leaned in.

"There have been four different obake appearing around here. Three of them just want to cause some harmless mischief, but the last one, a Hitosume-kozo, is different. It's appearance is that of a ten-year-old boy in a old brown kimono, and it is going around telling the same message to everyone it meets. Sadly, I do not know the message."

Jack narrowed his eyes in thought, wondering if the information was accurate. The demon might be trying to trick him, but he was unable to tell. Unfortunately, he couldn't question the demon further without letting slip that it's disguise had failed. Staring into the girl's golden eyes, he finally nodded. "Alright, thank you." He made a move to rise, but a small tug on the sleeve of his yukata stopped him.

Glancing at the girl, Jack opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but shut it again when the child placed the wooden ball in his hands. Blinking in confusion, he examined the toy, noticing a small tag that had been placed on one side. He leaned in closer to try and read the symbols, but the girl's hand darted forwards and tore the tag off.

The small wooden ball suddenly got _a lot _heavier. Jack tried to give the ball back to the girl, then to drop it, but his hands seemed glued to the toy. The weight increased, and he was forced to slowly set the ball on the ground, his hands pinned underneath it. Realizing that he had been tricked, Jack glared angrily at the child. The demon was watching his vain attempts with a slight smile on her face.

Reaching the conclusion that he couldn't move, Jack stopped and grimaced at the pain that was building in his legs. Sighing, the man looked up at the girl and spoke, "Alright, what do you want?"

"I only wish to ask you some questions." she replied calmly.

"I would have answered them anyway; you didn't have to trick me!" Jack snapped back in anger. The girl nodded, the wagged a finder at him. "Yes, but would you have answered them truthfully?"

The man promptly shook his head.

"As I thought. This way, you're going to have to tell the truth eventually, because I'm the only one who can undo the spell."

Jack lowered his gaze and glared at the offending ball, muttering, "Great, just bloody perfect. I walked right into a trap set by a six-year-old." The Doctor is never gonna let me hear the end of this…"

"Actually, I'm about 50 years old."

"Whatever. What do you want to know?"

The demon paused for a second to collect her thoughts, the started questioning him.

"I've heard that you are a Shikigami. That obviously isn't true, since a real Shikigami would never talk to my kind. So, what exactly are you?"

"A regular old human."

"Are your companions human too?"

"The girl is. The other one just looked human."

"What is he?"

"There's no point in answering that, because the information would be useless to you."

"Very well." The child paused once again, letting the morning breeze blow through her dark hair.

"Why do you wish to know about the obake?"

"I'm just gathering information for the Doctor that's all." Jack replied with a shrug. "Before you ask, no, I don't know why he wants the information."

"So you just do whatever he tells you to do?"

Jack stared at the demon in surprise, then shook his head. "Not all the time, no. I help him out because he's my friend. If I wanted to leave, he would let me, but being with him and Rose is better than being on my own right now."

"I see. Since you answered my questions truthfully and didn't try to fool me, I'll let you go." Reaching down, the youth tapped the ball. The toy shimmered, the vanished in a puff of smoke.

Sighing with relief, flexed his hands and stood up, stretching. Surprisingly, his hands had no pain in them or bore any sign that they had been pinned. The demon hopped down from the rock and snapped her fingers. Blue flame burst from her hand and wrapped around Jack's right wrist, fading away to revel a thin gold bracelet. Snapping them again, the blue fire encircled the girl's neck, forming a gold collar.

"There. Whenever you are in trouble, just tap the bracelet and say the chant to summon me."

"Er…ok…but what is the chant?" Jack asked, puzzled by the sudden turn of events.  
"Don't worry, you'll know it when the time comes. Goodbye until then." Smiling, the girl ran a few steps away from him and suddenly changed into a grey fox. His brown eyes followed it as it bounded off into the bushes, the golden collar glinting in the sunlight.

Notes

In Japan at this time, there is currently a dispute over who will become the Emperor of Japan, and there have been several small battles between the opposing sides up to this point.

Normally, the Doctor would have used Ririshii's family name, Hyakushu, adding on the 'kun' when addressing him, but the Doctor just uses Ririshii's name with the ending in an attempt to show that he is not as distant as Ririshii might think he is.

"Kun" is an honorific used when addressing those who are younger than oneself or in this case, have a lower social status.

The wooden ball suddenly turning heavy is a variation of something that is used in the anime show _Inuyasha_. A fox demon uses his magic to turn a small object into a very heavy small statue, pinning the main character's hands underneath it. In the show, the spell tag had to be removed from the statue before the magic could be lifted, but I decided to alter it slightly.


End file.
